Arrow rests are attached to bows to provide a surface to support an arrow during loading, drawing and shooting of the arrow. Arrow rests are often attached to a bow above the bow shelf and grip. Some arrow rests also allow for vertical and/or horizontal adjustment of the arrow rest.
There are generally two types of arrow rests, namely stationary arrow rests and fall away arrow rests. Stationary arrow rests do not move after they are attached to the bow and adjusted for accuracy. As the bowstring is drawn and released, the arrow will move away from the bow and through or across the stationary arrow rest. Arrows typically have fletching around the rear of the arrow shaft, or end opposite the arrow head, to help make the flight of the arrow more stable and accurate. As the fletching reaches the stationary arrow rest, the fletching may contact a part of the stationary arrow rest which can affect the accuracy and speed of the arrow.
Another type of arrow rest is called a fall away arrow rest. Fall away arrow rests can often be attached to the bow and adjusted much like stationary arrow rests. However, the part(s) of the fall away arrow rest supporting the arrow is moved away from the flight path of the arrow when the bowstring is released to ensure that neither the arrow nor the fletching contacts the arrow rest.
One example of a fall away arrow rest is the Medusa Max arrow rest made by Bowfinger Archery, Inc., which is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The arrow rest 10 seen in FIGS. 1-3 includes an enclosure 12 that rotatably supports a rod 14. One end of the rod 14 is attached to a launcher 16. The other end of the rod 14 is rotatably supported by the enclosure 12 and is attached to an activator 18. The activator 18 is located in a cavity 20 of the enclosure. A housing cap (now shown) encloses the cavity and has a hole for the rod 14, such that a portion the end of the rod extends out of the housing cap. A wheel (not shown) is attached to the end of the rod 14. A cord (not shown) is attached to the wheel at one end and to the bowstring (not shown) at the second end. When the bowstring (not shown) is drawn, e.g. to shoot an arrow, the bowstring will pull the cord which in turn will rotate the wheel and, thereby, the rod 14. Rotation of the rod 14 will cause rotation of the launcher 16.
An arrow can be loaded on the launcher 16 when the launcher is in the lowered position, as seen in FIG. 1. The launcher 16 may then be moved to the upright position, as seen in FIG. 2 or the arrow may be loaded after the launcher is in the upright position. The launcher 16 can be moved from the lowered position to the upright position by drawing the bowstring (not shown), manually moving the launcher or manually rotating the wheel.
Wrapped around the rod 14 is a torsion spring 22. A first end 24 of the spring 22 is located and held by a slot 26 in the projection 28 of the activator 18. A second end 30 of the spring 36 is held by a slot (now shown) in the cover (not shown) that encloses the cavity 20. The spring 22 urges the activator to rotate clockwise (when describing direction, the direction described is in relation to the view of the referenced drawing(s)) and, thereby, the launcher 16 towards the rest position.
The launcher 16 is selectively held in the ready position in part by the activator 18 and a latch 32. One end of the latch 32 is pivotally attached to the enclosure 12 in the cavity 20. The bottom surface of the latch 32 includes a first arcuate surface 34 and a second arcuate surface 36 separated by a protrusion 38. The activator 18 includes a projection 28 and a shelf 40. The shelf 40 only extends part way up the activator 18 such that the activator can rotate about the rod 14 without interfering with the latch 32.
A pin 42 extends from the shelf 40 of the activator 18. When the launcher 16 is in the rest position, as seen in FIG. 1, the pin 34 does not engage the latch 32 and the latch rests against a part of the enclosure 12. As the activator 18 is rotated counterclockwise, to move the launcher 16 from the rest position to the ready position, the pin 42 engages the first arcuate surface 34.
Continued rotation of the activator 18, against the urging of the spring 22, will cause the pin 42 to engage the second arcuate surface 36. Once the force causing the counterclockwise rotation of the activator 18 is released, the pin 42 will be held by the protrusion 38 against the urging of the spring 22, to hold the launcher 16 in the ready position as seen in FIG. 2.
When the bow (not shown) is drawn, by pulling on the bowstring (not shown), a cord (not shown) connected to the bowstring and wheel (not shown) will rotate the wheel counterclockwise. Because the wheel is attached to the rod 14, rotation of the wheel will cause rotation of the rod. Rotation of the rod 14 will cause rotation of the activator 18 until the projection 28 of the activator contacts the end of the latch 32. As seen in FIG. 3, the shape of the projection 28 and end of the latch 32 are such that when they are in contact the latch is raised off of the pin 42.
The torque from the spring 22 is such that when the bowstring (not shown) is released, the spring will cause the activator 18, and shelf 40 with pin 42, to rotate clockwise faster than gravity will cause the latch 32 to fall. Therefore, the pin 42 will not be caught by the second arcuate surface 36 or the protrusion 38 and the launcher 16 will be returned to the rest position before the fletching of the arrow has passed through the area of the arrow rest. This provides a clear path for the arrow.
The cavity 20 also includes a rubber pad 44 to stop the rotation of the activator 18 when the launcher 16 is being moved to the rest position by the spring 22.
Another example of a fall away arrow rest is the DOA arrow rest made by Arizona Archery Enterprises, Inc., which is shown in FIGS. 4-7. The arrow rest 46 seen in FIGS. 4-7 includes an enclosure 48 that rotatably supports a rod 50. One end of the rod 50 is rotatably attached to and extends through a cavity 52 in the enclosure 48.
A housing cap (not shown) encloses the cavity 52 and has a hole for the rod 50, such that the end of the rod extends out of the housing cap. The end of the rod 50 that extends from the housing cap is attached to a launcher 54. Rotation of the launcher 54 will cause rotation of the rod 50.
An arrow can be loaded on the launcher 54 when the launcher is in the horizontal or rest position, as seen in FIG. 4, and then moved to the ready position, as seen in FIGS. 5-6. The launcher 54 is moved from the rest position to the ready position by pushing down on the thumb latch 56 on the launcher 54.
An activator 58 is attached to the rod 50 in the cavity 52 of the enclosure 48. A spring 60 is located between the activator 58 and the enclosure 48. A first end 62 of the spring 60 is secured to the enclosure 48. A second end 64 of the spring 60 is secured to the activator 58, such that the activator is urged in a counterclockwise direction. A rubber pad 66 is held in a shelf 68 of the cavity 52 such that when the launcher 54 is in the rest position, as seen in FIG. 4, the activator 58 rests against the rubber pad.
A latch 70 is pivotally attached to a wall of the cavity 52. A spring 72 urges the latch 70 into contact with the activator 58. When the activator 58 is rotated clockwise, against the force of the spring 60, the oblong shape of the activator pushes the latch 70 away compressing the spring 72. When the activator 58 is rotated such that the flat end 74 of the activator reaches a notch 76 in the latch 70, the flat end will engage the notch. Because the spring 60 is urging the activator 58 in a counterclockwise direction, the activator 58 is held by the notch 76. Thereby, the rod and launcher 54 are held in the ready position as seen in FIG. 5.
The activator 58 does not extend beyond the plane of the shelf 68 in the cavity 52 so as not to interfere with the hammer 78, seen in FIGS. 6-7, when the activator rotates. The hammer 78 is pivotally attached to the shelf 68 of the cavity 52 by a rod 80. A spring 82 is located between the hammer 78 and the shelf 68. A first end 84 of the spring is secured in a hole of the shelf 68. A second end 86 of the spring 82 is located in a hole in the hammer 78 such that the hammer is urged towards the latch 70. Latch 70 is long enough to engage the activator 58 and be engaged by the hammer 78, but the hammer and activator cannot directly contact each other.
The rod 80 extends through the enclosure 48. A wheel (not shown) is attached to the rod 80 extending out of the enclosure 48. A cord (not shown) is attached to the wheel at one end and to the bowstring (not shown) at the second end. When the bowstring is drawn, e.g. to shoot an arrow, the bowstring will pull the cord which in turn will rotate the wheel and, thereby, the rod 80, clockwise. Rotation of the rod 80 will cause rotation of the hammer 78 away from the latch 70 as seen in FIG. 6.
When the bowstring is released, a cord will release its pull on the wheel and thereby the rod 80. The release of the rod 80 will allow the spring 82 to rotate the hammer 78 towards and into the latch 70. The impact will cause the latch 70 to be pushed down and compress the spring 72. The movement of the latch 70 frees the flat side 74 of the activator 58 from the notch 76 as seen in FIG. 7. This will allow the spring 60 to rotate the activator 58 back towards the rubber pad 66. Because the spring 60 is stronger than the spring 72, the flat side of the activator 58 will rotate past the notch 76 before the latch 70 contacts the activator 58 again. The launcher 54 will therefore, be returned to the rest position before the fletching of the arrow has passed through the area of the arrow rest. This provides a clear path for the arrow.
Other examples of a fall away arrow rest can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,701,643 and 6,789,536.
However, such fall away arrow rests suffer from many disadvantages. For example, the above fall away arrow rests are not optimized and require many parts, which increases the cost of the arrow rest due to the cost of the many parts and increased labor costs to install all of the parts. The additional number of parts also increases the risk of malfunction.
Some of the arrow rests, e.g. DOA, make loud clicking noise when moved to the ready position and/or when an arrow is shot and the rest is moved to the rest position. Such noise can scare away prey during hunting. Some arrow rests, rely on gravity, e.g. Medusa Max, and if the bow is not held upright, for example to avoid an obstacle during hunting, or if moisture or debris enter the cavity, the arrow rest may not function correctly.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of the foregoing invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other objectives. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the descriptions of the disclosed embodiments, and will be readily apparent hereinafter to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above as taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom.